Fly Me To The Moon
by sarcasmandcynicism
Summary: Lena is your average twenty-something. Graduated, but still living at home, part-time job... a little lost in the world... maybe eats a bit too much chocolate and doesn't exercise enough. But that's okay. At least it would be, if her life hadn't taken a turn for the impossible. When a normal plane ride ends with a glowing hand, Lena's life will never be the same.
1. Chapter 1

Note: Another story? Yeah… So many plot bunnies, so little time. This one is mostly for practice and to get past writer's block, though. I thought I'd post it anyway, in case anyone is interested in reading it. Obviously, this is another Modern OC in Thedas fic, so it will have some similarities to Traveler, but hopefully not too many. Let me know what you think!

Edit: **WARNING** for people who have a flying phobia. The first part of this chapter may be difficult to read. I bolded the first and last sentence of the bad part. After that, just be aware that I can get pretty graphic in my descriptions of violence.

Disclaimer: Dragon Age still isn't mine.

* * *

Chaper 1: Come Fly With Me

I hate flying.

Oh, it's not that I'm afraid of heights or anything. It's the people. Why do there have to be so damn many of them?

I slide down further in my seat and continue messing with my phone as I wait to board. I'm headed to my sister's for the summer. Mostly because my mom wants nothing to do with me. She'd never say as much, of course, but I'm not stupid. I know. I don't mind spending time with Em, though, and her husband is pretty nice.

Family drama isn't the only reason for this trip. I have an interview. I get nervous just thinking about it.

 _So thanks, brain, for reminding us._

"Now boarding zone two for flight 2446 to New York. Welcome aboard."

I stand, sling my carry-on over my shoulder, and get in line. I take one last sip of my latte before tossing the rest in the nearest bin.

Half an hour later, I'm smashed between a large man who smells like he hasn't bathed in weeks and a wailing toddler. I've got my earbuds jammed as far in as they'll go and my music blasting to drown out the rest of the plane.

I _really_ hate flying.

* * *

 **I jolt awake, neck cramping painfully.** I absentmindedly wipe the drool from my chin and glance around in confusion, wondering what startled me. That's when the plane decides to dip, then bounce back up, turning my stomach over.

"We seem to be experiencing a bit of turbulence. Nothing to worry about, folks. Just a storm. But please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts. Flight attendants, return to your seats as well. Thank you."

I check my seatbelt, but I never unfastened it after takeoff, so I'm good. The plane dips again and the toddler beside me resumes crying. His mother rubs soothing circles on his back, but it doesn't seem to help.

The turbulence just gets worse from there. I've never been scared of flying, but right now I have a white-knuckled grip on the armrests. A woman across the aisle is making the sign of the cross while the man next to her is cursing under his breath.

 _This isn't good…_

 _No shit._

I try to regulate my breathing, to slow my racing heart, but the plane shudders violently and drops abruptly. I can see lightning outside and the clouds look ominously green.

 _Wait a minute…_

At the same moment I realize something is off, I hear someone ahead of me say, "What the hell is that?!"

Everyone nearby collectively shifts to get a better look out the windows. The clouds aren't just Bad Weather Green… They're flashing with bright green light.

 _What the hell?_

Suddenly, there's a loud _cr-crack-BOOM!_ Louder than any thunder I've ever heard. The plane shudders again, drops… doesn't stop. Oxygen masks fall from the ceiling and people start screaming. After taking a moment to overcome my shock, I grab my mask and slip it over my head.

My mind is a chaotic swirl of panic, fear, and disbelief. Tears leak from the corners of my eyes. There's another loud boom, followed by a high-pitched metallic scream. Then a blinding flash of green light.

I realize that I'm going to die. This is it. But there's no regretting all the things I should have done, nor any memories flashing behind my eyelids. There's just blind terror and a lot of _Oh God I don't want to die._

 **And then there's nothing.**

* * *

Green light everywhere and a loud roaring in my ears.

 _Where am I?_

Something crashes into me, hard enough to make me cry out in pain. For a second, it felt like a body, but then the thing coils itself around me and sinks into my skin. It burns and I scream but I'm not the only one. Someone else is screaming.

My body feels like it's being stretched, pulled, contorted in ways it shouldn't, and the whole thing is so painful I pray for oblivion.

 _What is happening?_

The thought isn't my own.

* * *

My return to awareness is slow and agonizing.

The first thing I become aware of is pain. Everywhere. Then comes the acrid, suffocating stench of something burning.

When I try to open my eyes, only one of them obeys and even then all I can see is red. I blink rapidly and the color fades. I see fabric and realize my face is pressed into it. I try to pull back, but hiss as pain lances through my collarbone.

After a few breaths, I try again. My whole shoulder feels like it's on fire, but I grind my teeth and sit upright.

There's an arm in my lap. Just an arm.

It takes me a moment to process what my eyes are seeing, but when I do, I scream and fling it off of me, then scream again because the movement hurt like hell.

 _Why would there be-_

I glance up and around and just blink my one working eye.

"Oh my God…" I rasp, feeling sick. "Oh God."

 _I'm still in the plane. We crashed._

There are bodies strewn everywhere. Some are still in their seats. Others are draped over the backs of chairs or in pieces or on fire or all of the above. The guy next to me is still there but he's been crushed by the side of the plane caving in. The mother who was on my other side is nowhere to be seen, but her child dangles from the exposed wiring in the ceiling.

"Oh my God."

I tear my eye away and look for a way out. I hear a rustling and snap my head toward the sound, only to groan at the movement.

"Hello?" I call softly, hoarsely, then cough. The smoke is getting worse. "Is… is anyone still… alive?"

The rustling stops but something worse takes its place: a low growl.

I freeze, trying to find the source of the sound.

 _Wolves? Did we crash in the forest? Are they eating people?_

 _I've got to get out of here._

With much effort, I push to my feet and try not to make too much noise. It's hard. Literally everything hurts. My right leg has trouble supporting my weight and I almost fall, but catch myself just in time with my left arm. My whole right side is messed up. I can't open that eye, can't feel my fingers on that hand, and can't walk on that leg.

 _Damn it!_

I don't have a choice though. I can still hear growling and it's coming closer.

Slowly, I climb into the aisle and hobble towards a nearby hole in the plane, gritting my teeth and whimpering with each step.

I can hear movement behind me and try to move faster. My whimpers become grunts of pain as I drag myself along.

The hole is small and jagged, but it's getting really difficult to breathe. I'm not so sure that's just the smoke, though…

I stick my head through first, then my good arm. There's a small bush just outside and I use it to hoist myself out. I can't stay quiet anymore, especially when the metal rips through my clothing and cuts the flesh of my stomach and legs

When I finally make it out, I just lay there in the dirt for a moment, panting with exhaustion.

Then something growls again, but much too close. I roll over in time to see a monster crawling out after me. Its features are horribly disfigured and it has spines and claws and glowing eyes.

 _I died. I'm dead and this is hell._

I scream and scramble backwards as fast as my battered body will let me.

The creature is nearly upon me when I hear a shout and see a flash of metal. Something collides with the thing, lopping its head from its neck. I keep staring at it and screaming, even after it stops twitching.

"Hey," says a voice beside me. "You okay?"

I glance up to see a man in armor, wielding a sword… and promptly pass out.

* * *

My first thought when I come to again is that this passing out thing is getting tiresome. Granted, I'm in a lot less pain this time.

I open my eyes – yes, both of them – and see stone. A stone ceiling, to be precise. I sit up slowly and try to rub the sleep from my eyes, only to find out that my wrists are shackled.

 _The fuck…?_

"She's awake. Go get the Seeker."

I suddenly become aware that there are people in the room with me. Armored people pointing swords at me. I freeze in fear, eyes darting around.

A sharp pain lances up my arm from my hand and I cry out, lifting it to see what's wrong.

 _What._

My hand is green. It flashes with the same light I saw right before…

I frown in confusion.

 _I'm dreaming. I have to be._

A loud bang has me jumping and turning towards the sound, eyes wide.

Someone steps into the room. It's a woman, also in armor, with short black hair and sharp features. Another woman comes in behind her and shuts the door. This one is wearing a hood and has red hair… I think. It's hard to tell in the dim lighting.

They both look eerily familiar and I wrack my brain trying to figure out why. The first woman circles behind me as the people with swords put them away.

It isn't until the black-haired woman speaks that I'm able to place them.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now?" the lady says into my ear.

 _Holy crap! They look just like Cassandra and Leliana! I mean like professional-grade cosplay, win all the awards, A plus plus. Are these a bunch of crazy Dragon Age cosplayers? What the fuck is happening?_

My mind races with possibilities.

"The Conclave is destroyed," the Cassandra look-alike continues. "Everyone who attended is dead." She circles around to glare. "Except for you."

It takes a minute for the words to register. "Conclave…?" I whisper, studying my sparking hand.

 _This is a very realistic dream…_

The lady must get tired of waiting, because she leans in and grabs my arm. My hand flares. "Explain _this,_ " she demands.

"I… I…" I can't get anything else out as I shrink back.

"Spit it out!"

"I have no idea what's going on!" I start to cry involuntarily. "Where am I?"

 _I just want to wake up…_

"You're lying!" she growls, grabbing my shoulders roughly.

The other woman grabs her arm and pulls her back. "We need her, Cassandra." The redhead turns back to me. "You are in Haven. Tell me, do you remember what happened? How all this began?"

"I-I was just on a plane to go see my sister…" I reply honestly, too confused to even consider lying.

"A what?" Cassandra-person asks harshly. The red haired lady just tilts her head to the side.

"Interesting." She turns back to talk to the black-haired lady. "Are you positive the apostate healed her enough? Perhaps she has head trauma that has not been fixed."

The other woman grunts. "That matters little right now. Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the rift."

I watch the exchange with increasing trepidation. Another flare from my hand only makes it worse.

Cassandra – I might as well call her that – removes the shackles from my wrists and replaces them with rope.

"Come," is all she says, helping me to my feet and leading me out.

The building is an accurate replica of the Haven chantry. Either these people are very dedicated to the roleplay or my brain is good with details. One of those is less comforting than the other.

Someone opens the main doors for us and I squint at the harsh daylight, following Cassandra out.

A crackling sound in the distance catches my attention and I glance up.

There's a hole in the sky. A big, green, crackling hole. There are huge rocks suspended in a twisted beam and the clouds swirl ominously around it.

 _Oh no…_

There's no way somebody could fake that, so there goes the crazy cosplayers theory. I could still be dreaming though. I desperately hope that I am.

"We call it the Breach," Cassandra says, also watching the thing in the sky. "It is a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour." She turns back to me. "It's not the only such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."

"Shit," I mutter, still staring in horror. It's so much more terrifying in person than on a videogame.

"Unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world," Cassandra states solemnly.

At that moment, the Breach cracks loudly and flares. A second later, my hand echoes it, sparking and sending white-hot tendrils of agony up my arm. My legs give out and I clutch my hand to my chest as tears leak from my eyes.

 _Oh God, oh no, please no…_

The pain is too real. It's _all_ too real, and I'm not so sure this is a dream anymore…

Cassandra kneels in front of me. "Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads and it _is_ killing you. It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."

My mind is reeling. I barely even hear what she's saying, but I already know what she wants. And really, what choice do I have? I suppose I could just refuse to move, wait for this nightmare to be over. But what if it's not a dream? Cassandra would likely drag me along anyways. And even if it is a dream, what if I wake up to find myself back in the plane, dying alone?

I stand, still holding my arms close to me. "Okay," I whisper.

Cassandra pushes me forward. We walk through rows of tents and Cassandra is saying something, but I'm too lost in my own head. I only become aware of my surroundings again when we stop and Cassandra pulls out a knife. She carefully cuts the rope around my wrists.

"There will be a trial. I can promise no more." She releases my arm and stows her knife. "Come. It is not far."

I follow. There's little else to do, though I am very tempted to just make a run for it.

"Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach," she continues. We approach another set of doors. "Open the gate. We are heading into the valley." Soldiers scramble to follow her order.

Cassandra sets a fast pace that I struggle to keep up with. I start to fall behind, panting with exertion, so Cassandra is forced to slow some. I can tell it annoys her by the sound of frustration she makes.

We haven't traveled all that far when my hand flares up again and I lose my footing, stumbling into a snow bank.

Cassandra helps me up, surprisingly gentle. "The pulses are coming faster now." She starts walking again. "Try to keep up. The larger the Breach grows, the more rifts appear, the more demons we face."

I fall in behind her, massaging my aching palm. We come to another bridge, though the gates are open on both sides of this one. Halfway across, something crashes into the path, causing the bridge to collapse with us on it.

By the time I roll to a stop, it feels like I hit every stone along the way. I groan, moving hesitantly. There doesn't seem to be anything broken, so I sit up slowly. Cassandra is already on her feet.

There's another crash, followed by a chilling roar. Cassandra takes out her sword and charges forward, yelling, "Stay behind me!"

Still recovering, I push myself to my feet and rub at a particularly sore spot.

More crackling, a little too close this time. I glance up to see the ground in front of me turn black and start bubbling.

 _Um…_

I take a step back, thinking I might just hide behind something, when a monster rises from the spot and starts for me.

I scream and run away as fast as I can. I keep running, not daring to even glance back. It's not until I trip and face plant in the snow that I'm finally forced to stop. Cassandra catches up with me, demon apparently already dispatched, a scowl on her face.

"What is the matter with you? Don't you know how to fight?" she scolds.

"No!" I shout back, frustrated and confused and scared out of my wits. "Why the hell would I know how to fight a fucking demon?!"

"Oh," Cassandra's face falls. "I…" Her expression hardens. "Come along."

I stand and follow her again. We stop by the crates that fell when the bridge collapsed and she bends to pick up a dagger. She hands it to me and I give her a questioning look.

"You will need some form of protection, whether you know how to fight or not." She digs in a pouch on her hip and gives me a vial of red liquid.

"Health potion?" I ask quietly.

"Yes."

I tuck it in the pocket of my jacket that isn't ripped and clutch the dagger inexpertly.

We continue on. Each time we face a group of demons, Cassandra has me hide, then charges in to take care of them herself. It makes me feel guilty, though I know I'd only make things worse if I tried to help. I also worry that she'll die and I'll be left to face them alone. That makes me feel guilty too.

As we climb a flight of stairs that has me huffing and puffing like the big, bad wolf, Cassandra announces, "We're getting close to the rift. You can hear the fighting."

I listen and sure enough, I can hear the sound of battle nearby. At least, I assume that's what it is.

We come to a high ledge and Cassandra jumps down agilely. I have to sit on the edge and slide off. Even then, I land awkwardly. There are people ahead of us fighting more demons, so while Cassandra charges into the fray, I hide behind a broken wall until it's over.

"Where is she?" I hear a man ask after a moment of quiet.

"Come over here," Cassandra calls.

I emerge slowly, eyes darting around, expecting another demon to pop out at any moment. Someone – scratch that, _Solas_ – is marching towards me. He grabs my wrist and leads me over to a rift.

"Quickly, before more come through!" He holds my hand up to the rift and it sparks, making a connection. I can feel something tugging at my palm. With a loud crack, the rift closes and Solas lets go.

I stare at my palm, watching as the light fades.

"Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand," he explains, obviously having noticed my preoccupation. "I theorized that the mark may be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake. And it seems I was correct."

He sounds so proud of himself. I huff, "Congrats." When I glance up, his eyes are slightly narrowed. He appears both curious and a bit offended.

"Meaning it could also close the Breach itself," Cassandra supposes, walking up behind me.

Solas casts his eyes to her after a moment. "Possibly." Then he looks back at me. "It seems you hold the key to our salvation." If I'm not mistaken, there's a bit of sarcasm in there.

"Great," I mumble.

"Good to know!" another voice chimes in. "And here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever."

I turn around and come face to face with Varric. I can't help but smile a little, despite everything.

"Varric Tethras," he continues. "Rogue, storyteller, and occasionally," he glances at Cassandra and winks, "unwelcome tagalong."

"Nice to meet you," I say genuinely. I may not want to be here and I still don't know what's happening, but seeing Varric is somehow a comfort.

"You may reconsider that stance, in time," Solas says and I can hear the smirk in his voice.

"Probably not," I reply, tone clipped.

"Aw, I'm sure we'll become great friends in the valley, Chuckles," Varric teases.

"Absolutely not," Cassandra interjects. "Your help is appreciated, Varric, but-"

"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker?" Varric interrupts. "Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me."

Cassandra makes one of her signature disgusted noises and walks away.

"My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions," the elven mage says to me with a cheerful smile. "I am pleased to see you still live."

"He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you as you slept,'" Varric adds.

If I was sure this was a dream, I'd have a little fun with this. As it is, though…

"Thanks," I grumble. After all, it _is_ his fault that the mark is there in the first place. Let alone the fact that I shouldn't be here at all. I should have died in that plane crash.

 _Maybe I did._

Now that's something to consider…

Solas just inclines his head, eyes narrowed again. Then he turns to the Seeker. "Cassandra, you should know, the magic here is unlike any I have seen. Your prisoner is no mage. Indeed, I find it difficult to imagine _any_ mage having such power."

I almost choke on my own spit. Varric gives me a couple thumps on the back.

"Understood," Cassandra replies solemnly. "We must get to the forward camp quickly." And then she's off.

"Well," Varric shrugs, "Bianca's excited."

I smile halfheartedly and start walking.

Varric continues. "So, what's your name, Lucky?"

"Lena," I reply quietly. "My name is Lena."


	2. Chapter 2

Notes: Okay, so I you know in the last chapter when I said something about a certain music university? Yeah, forget you read that. I changed my mind about it well before posting the chapter, but apparently forgot to actually change it. So as far as you know, it said "I have an interview."

To my guest reviewer: Sorry about disturbing you, but that was also kind of my goal. I think you got that though lol. I'm happy to hear you can relate to Lena. I think a lot of us can. I'm sorry to hear about your family situation, though. That sucks… Oh, and you made me laugh about the two n's thing. I restrained myself when naming this character lol. Glad you like the story so far!

* * *

Chapter 2: That's Life

"By the Ancestors, Malikah! Would you just wait a moment?"

The redhead finishes tucking away her last hidden dagger, slings her pack over her shoulder, and snatches up her bow. "I can't. The caravan is about to leave."

"Just tell me why Serkel chose _you_ to go," the impressively hairy dwarf insists.

"Relax, Den. I'll be back before you know it," Malikah chides, tugging playfully on his beard. Then she's racing out the door before he can say another word, wild curls trailing behind her.

* * *

"This way, down the bank," Cassandra calls. "The road ahead is blocked." She hops over a low, broken fence and moves out of sight. Solas lithely follows, but Varric and I have a slightly harder time.

"We must move quickly," Solas insists, glancing back at us.

"Yeah, yeah," Varric grumbles under his breath, too quiet for Solas to hear. "We can't all have long legs, Chuckles."

I huff a little at that, feeling better for the dwarf's presence.

Cassandra and Solas are already halfway down the slope, so Varric and I hurry to catch up. A few steps later, I slip on a patch of ice and land hard on my tailbone.

"Ow…"

"Shit, you okay?" Varric asks, offering me a hand up.

I accept and he hoists me to my feet. I rub my backside, wincing. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"There is no time to waste!" Cassandra chides and I glare at the ground.

"With the way those two act, you'd think the world was ending or something," Varric jokes, surprising a small chuckle out of me. He just smiles and keeps walking.

The path opens into valley. The light from the Breach reflects oddly off of the iced over pond, making everything seem more dreamlike than it already does.

"Demons ahead!" Solas warns, readying his staff. Cassandra unsheathes her sword and Varric swings Bianca off of his back. I clutch my dagger with trembling hands.

"Glad you brought me now, Seeker?" Varric teases.

As we get closer, Cassandra pushes me behind a rock and orders me to stay. As if I'd argue.

I alternate between squeezing my eyes shut, covering my ears, and pretending I'm somewhere else and having them wide open and darting around, terrified that I might have missed something sneaking up on me.

I can hear the sounds of battle, though I dare not poke my head out. The _ka-thunk_ of Varric's crossbow, the crackling of Solas' ice magic, and the sharp sounds of metal colliding as Cassandra swings her sword. These are interjected by calls of 'behind you' and 'watch out.'

When it's over, Cassandra pulls me back out from my hiding place and we continue, as if battling hordes of demons is a normal, everyday occurrence.

The ice is slippery, so I take my time crossing the frozen lake. Cassandra makes a frustrated noise, but I really don't want to fall again. I'm almost across when the Breach crackles and my hand answers. The pain catches me by surprise and I lose my footing, falling flat on my ass again.

"Damn it," I hiss, rubbing at my palm with the thumb of my other hand.

"That… didn't sound good," Varric says, coming closer.

Before he can offer to help me up again, I stand and keep walking. I don't want them to think I'm incapable of even standing on my own.

"So… _are_ you innocent?" Varric asks as Cassandra leads us up yet another flight of stairs. It takes me a moment or two to realize he's talking to me.

"Yes…?"

"No, no, you need to sound sure of yourself. They'll never believe you if you answer questions like that," he tells me.

"Are you encouraging the prisoner to lie, Varric?" Cassandra asks.

"Not necessarily," he replies, smirking.

We keep moving. Every time more demons appear, I hide and wait until it's over. As we get closer and closer to the Breach, it feels less and less like I can get enough air. I know what's coming, after all.

* * *

The Temple is bigger than Malikah imagined it would be. Perhaps she's being whimsical, but it seems nearly to touch the clouds.

There are people everywhere. Mostly humans, but that's to be expected. Malikah doesn't mind. It just means more fools for her to swindle money out of.

With a childish sort of excitement, the dwarf hops out of the back of the wagon and helps the others set up. They're all Carta, of course, but to everyone else they'll appear as nothing more than humble merchants. After all, these people will need supplies after their long journey.

They're not allowed inside, of course. This might prove difficult for some people, but there's a reason Serkel chose her for the job. No one will even know she's there. Malikah grins in at the Temple in anticipation.

They spend the first day setting up shop and pandering their wares. As expected, no one seems the least bit suspicious of them. By the time the Conclave starts, Malikah already has her entrance and exit planned, as well as two back-up plans in case things go awry.

That morning, Malikah disguises herself as help and infiltrates the staff. Nobody ever notices servants and she intends to fully exploit that.

* * *

"Another rift!"

"We must seal it! Quickly!"

I am pulled from my distraction by the shouting. Another rift means more demons, so I duck behind a rock and make myself small.

This time, I am not as far from the fighting. I can hear each grunt, hear the wet squelch of flesh being torn, and smell the coppery tang of spilled blood.

I'm so focused on listening that I don't notice being noticed. Not until it's too late and a set of sharp claws rake across my left shoulder. I can actually feel as one of them scratches against bone.

The force of the blow sends me sprawling like a ragdoll in the snow. My shoulder pulses and screams at me, but I'm too shocked to move. Then tendrils of fire are snaking down my back. I scream and start trying to crawl away, but the demon just slashes at my leg instead.

Some part of my brain knows I'm not going to get away now, so it switches survival modes. Without a lot of conscious thought, I roll onto my back, raising the dagger that's still clutched in my vicelike grip. I flail, swinging the small blade wildly and hoping it hits something. It must work, because the demon pulls back fractionally.

I sit up and continue slashing. Somebody is screaming, over and over, and everything feels like it's on fire. Suddenly, a blur of furious steel crashes into the monster, stunning it. The blur swings its sword once and the creature collapses in an unmoving heap.

The world tilts until I'm staring up at the sky. Things aren't on fire anymore, though. That must be because of how cold it's gotten. It really is quite the drastic change.

 _Weather is weird. Stupid global warming._

"… hear me?"

 _Huh?_

The world starts shaking.

 _Oh, now there's an earthquake?_

"… going into shock."

"Bring her… close rift…"

There's the sensation of floating before everything goes dark.

* * *

 _There are way too many hallways in this damn place_ , Malikah thinks grumpily.

Despite knowing how to get in and out unnoticed, the crafty dwarf forgot to take into account that she'd have to navigate once inside. To be fair, the Temple's layout is more like that of a maze than a sensibly built place of worship.

Which is why Malikah is now in an unfamiliar corridor with no one else in sight when she should be finding a place to spy on the Conclave. Angrily, she rips off the dress that was disguising her armor and marches down the hall.

Just around the corner, she hears voices.

 _Shit!_

She thinks about the ripped dress lying on the floor behind her and immediately regrets every decision she's ever made.

"Oh, blighted bloody nug balls," she growls quietly, ducking into an alcove.

Malikah waits, dagger drawn, but the voices don't come any closer. In fact, they seem to be emanating from the closed doors at the end of the hall.

Much too curious for her own good, Malikah creeps closer. As she nears the doors, the voices clarify into a deep one – almost too deep – and a higher one. The higher one sounds like a frightened Orlesian woman, actually.

Malikah presses her ear to the wood.

"Keep the sacrifice still," the booming voice commands.

 _Wait, what…?_

"Someone help me!" the woman's voice cries.

Malikah doesn't know what's going on, but she knows there's somebody in trouble in there. The redhead may be a bit of a scoundrel, but she's not about to stand by while an innocent gets hurt. She bursts through the door, bow at the ready.

"What's going on… here…?" Malikah's voice trails off as she takes in the scene before her. There is a woman in robes suspended in midair by magic – the Divine? The mages keeping her aloft appear to be Wardens, too.

 _What the fuck?_

The freakishly tall abomination standing beside the woman turns his gaze to Malikah.

"We have an intruder," it starts, but gets interrupted when the woman uses his distraction to knock an orb of some sort from its hand.

In the second or two it takes to fly across the room and roll towards her, Malikah's mind determines it must be important, so she hurries to snatch it up.

In the next second, Malikah realizes she's made a horrible mistake. Piercing flashes of agony concentrate in her hand and shoot up her arm. She tries to drop the orb, but it's attached to her hand somehow. She hears an angry shout, then everything explodes.

* * *

I wake up to faces. There are so many of them, swirling above me. Then my vision finally clears and they coalesce into only two.

"She is awake," Cassandra announces to someone and stands, moving away.

Solas stays, helping me sit up and handing me a bottle. "Drink this."

I eye the liquid inside, noticing how it shimmers suspiciously.

"It is a simple rejuvenation potion," he reassures.

After a moment of deliberation, I give a small shrug and knock it back. Then start coughing.

"Blegh! It tastes like ass," I complain.

Solas exchanges the bottle in my hand for a cup of water, a small but knowing smile on his face.

 _He tricked me!_

I glare, but sip the water, swishing it around in my mouth first before chugging the rest. Solas takes the cup back and helps me to my feet. My legs are a bit wobbly, but I don't immediately fall over, so that's good.

"What happened?" I ask.

"You were badly injured in the last fight," he responds, then hands something else to me. "Here. The Seeker acquired armor for you. I believe she blames herself for your injuries. She was also the one who carried you here."

Solas leaves me then to struggle with the armor pieces. I honestly have no idea what goes where, so I logic my way through it. There aren't a lot; mostly arm protection and whatnot.

"You have that one on backwards," I hear from behind me and spin around to find Cassandra watching me with barely perceptible amusement.

"I have no idea what I'm doing," I confess.

"Clearly."

She helps me fix it, though, then leads me towards a small group.

"We must prepare the soldiers!" a woman's voice insists.

"We will do no such thing!" the man next to her argues irately.

"The prisoner must get to the Temple of Sacred Ashes. It is our only chance!"

"You have already caused enough trouble without resorting to this exercise in futility."

"I have –"

The man notices me and turns away from the argument. "Ah, here they come."

I finally register that the woman is Leliana when she steps towards us. "I see you are awake," she says to me. I just nod. "Chancellor Roderick –"

"Seeing as you're not dead…" the man interrupts again, then looks at Cassandra. "As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take this criminal to Val Royeaux to face execution."

 _Excuse me?!_

"Order me?" Cassandra asks incredulously. "You are a glorified clerk. A bureaucrat!"

"And you are a thug. But a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!"

"We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor," Leliana interjects, "as you well know."

"Justinia is dead!" Roderick cries. "We must elect a replacement, and obey _her_ orders on the matter!"

"I-I don't think the Breach is going to wait for an election," I say quietly, not looking at them.

" _You_ brought this on us in the first place!" the Chancellor shouts and I flinch back.

"No I didn't," I whisper.

Cassandra leaves my side then, approaching Roderick.

"Call a retreat, Seeker," he says to her. "Our position here is hopeless."

"We can stop this before it's too late," she disagrees.

"How? You won't survive long enough to reach the Temple, even with all your soldiers."

"We must get to the Temple," she insists. "It's the quickest route."

"But not the safest," Leliana adds. "Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the moutains."

"We lost contact with an entire squad on that path. It is too risky," Cassandra argues.

"Listen to me," Roderick joins the conversation again. "Abandon this now before more lives are lost!"

The Breach cracks loudly then, reminding everyone of its presence. My left hand flares once again, like a child responding to the call of its mother. I give a small cry, gripping my forearm as it trembles with power.

I can feel their eyes on me now. Cassandra steps into my line of sight.

"How do _you_ think we should proceed?" she asks.

"You're asking _me_?" I blink rapidly at her, completely shocked.

"Yes."

I glance up at the mountains, thinking about all the ladders I would have to climb. My arms ache just thinking about it – _do I even know how to climb a ladder? Have I ever climbed one in my life?_ But…

I lower my voice so only Cassandra can hear. "Some of that squad is still alive."

Her eyes widen, then narrow. "How could you possibly know that?"

"We probably don't have time for that explanation right now."

She stares at me for a minute, deep in thought, then turns away. "We go through the mountains. Leliana, bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone." Then she starts walking. I follow like a lost puppy.

"On your head be the consequences, Seeker," Roderick says in a last parting shot.

By the time we reach the ladders, I'm already exhausted just from trudging through the snow. I lean against the wall beside the first ladder to catch my breath.

"You doing okay, Lucky?" Varric asks.

"I'm fine," I lie.

Cassandra starts climbing, followed by Solas, myself, then Varric. As I expected, I struggle to pull myself up. I never needed this sort of upper body strength until now.

 _Why did I never just lift some five pound weights or something?_

I hoist myself onto the next ledge and just sit there for a minute.

 _You're wasting time._

"Go on," I urge, breathless.

"We won't leave you behind," Cassandra argues. Her tone of voice suggests that I'm being a silly child.

"The rest of the soldiers are going to be dead by the time we get there if you wait for me," I argue. "I'll catch up. Go. Please…"

Mostly I just really don't want them watching me struggle at climbing a damned ladder… judging me.

"She's right, Seeker," Varric agrees. "Come on, let's clear a path for her." He starts climbing up the next ladder, but not before giving my shoulder a brief squeeze.

I wait until they've disappeared over the top of the next ladder before starting my own ascent. It's slow going and my arms grow tired quickly. At the top, I have to sit and catch my breath again. Then I stand and walk to the next.

I'm halfway up this one when I slip. I catch myself, but my heart is hammering in my chest. I cling to the ladder, eyes squeezed shut, gathering the courage to keep going.

When I make it to the top of this one, I collapse on the ground, arms shaking.

"Holy shit…"

A few minutes later, I start walking through the mountain tunnel. Cassandra, Varric, and Solas have indeed carved a path for me. There's a pile of bodies just at the entrance alone.

Despite knowing that they've killed all the creatures, my heart never really slows down. It's terrifying being alone in here. The only light comes from my hand and I keep jumping and giving a little shriek whenever it reflects off of the face of a dead demon. I'm continuously glancing over my shoulder, half expecting to see one that they missed creeping up on me.

I walk until I hear the sounds of fighting, then duck into an alcove. When the last body falls, I step out.

"Hey," I call and they turn, greeting me. We step out into bright daylight and Varric makes a sound of distress.

"Guess we found the soldiers…"

I glance down at his words and see the bodies on the stairs.

 _Oh._

I look away, trying not to think.

"That is not all of them," Cassandra says, and I feel the weight of her stare on my face.

"So the others could be holed up ahead?" Varric suggests hopefully.

"Our priority must be the Breach," Solas takes it upon himself to remind us. "Unless we seal it soon, no one is safe."

"I'm leaving that to our human friend, here," Varric drawls.

 _You're all doomed._

We hurry onward until my hand flares and Solas says, "There they are. Up ahead."

I make sure to hide especially well this time.

Cassandra beckons me over, afterward, and I approach the rift. I lift my left hand to it and the mark makes a connection. When it closes, Solas comes to stand beside me.

"Sealed, as before. You are becoming quite proficient at this," he nods approvingly.

I can't help myself as the bitterness wells up. "Don't be ridiculous," I mutter. "Like seeks like. All I have to do is raise my hand."

Solas shows no indication that he understands what I'm getting at, but I'm sure he does. "Interesting theory. Perhaps we could discuss it, once this is over."

"Let's hope it works on the big one, then," Varric adds.

Cassandra goes over to the scouts and helps one up.

"Thank the Maker you finally arrived, Lady Cassandra," she says. "I don't think we could've held out much longer."

"Thank our prisoner, Lieutenant," Cassandra corrects her. "She insisted we come this way."

I glance up at that.

"The prisoner?" she asks, sounding shocked. "Then you…"

I shrug, hands fidgeting. "It's no big deal."

"On the contrary," the Lieutenant disagrees. "You have my sincere gratitude."

I nod awkwardly.

"The way into the valley behind us is clear for the moment," the Seeker informs her. "Go, while you still can."

"At once. Quickly, let's move!" she orders the rest and they head out.

"The path ahead appears to be clear of demons as well," Solas tells us.

Cassandra nods, taking point. "Let's hurry, before that changes."

* * *

When Malikah wakes up, she's lying face down on cold, damp rock. There's nothing but green fog around her and she can't make out anything further away than her hands. That is, until she turns around and sees a bright figure standing at the top of rocky hill some ways off.

Malikah takes slow, cautious steps in that direction, glancing around warily. Her eyes are always drawn back to the figure, though.

She's halfway up the steep slope when she hears high-pitched chittering and screeching behind her. She glances back to see a shit-ton of giant spiders chasing after her.

Malikah reaches for her bow, only to find it missing. Same with her knives. She frowns and doubles her efforts to reach the figure.

As she gets closer, the figure becomes clearer, but also less bright. When Malikah reaches the top, it's the Divine that helps her up.

"The demons!" she calls, urging Malikah towards some kind of portal.

Malikah reaches it first, glancing back to find that the Divine is some ways behind her. "Hurry!"

Suddenly, the Divine jerks to a stop and screams. The demons are pulling her backwards.

"No!" Malikah cries, rushing to help.

"Go!" Justinia insists, just before being pulled over the edge and out of sight.

Malikah hesitates, then turns tail and runs, leaping through the portal.

However, instead of landing on the ground outside as she expected, Malikah collides with something both hard and soft at the same time. Whatever it is impacts with such force that Malikah screams in pain.

She tries to get away, but the thing twists around her. Or maybe she's the one being misshapen. And someone else is screaming, too.

Tendrils sink into her flesh, burning like a hot poker fresh from the fireplace.

 _What is happening?_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: I've Got You Under My Skin

My plane is still there.

I mean of course it is. It's not as if it could've flown off. Then again, this whole thing is so ridiculous, I wouldn't be surprised if it had.

The wings are gone, sheared off. By rock or by something else, I can't even begin to guess. The cabin has been completely crushed in some places. Honestly, it bears little resemblance to an airplane any more.

"This is where they found you," Cassandra says solemnly, somewhere behind me. "You crawled out of that thing."

I don't bother responding. I probably wouldn't be able to speak, anyway. I continue to stare at the carnage, feeling numb. There are bodies everywhere. Some of them are the charred remains of those that attended the Conclave. Their twisted forms seem to reach to me while their agonized expressions follow my every move. The other bodies, though… the others are my fellow passengers. It seems some were thrown from the wreckage on impact.

"We must continue on," Cassandra urges. After one last glance, I turn and follow her deeper into the temple wreckage.

Spikes of Fade rock tower over us, casting deep, cold shadows over our small group. A shiver travels down my spine.

 _Please don't let any of this be real._

Leliana and a group of soldiers catches up with us as we enter the blast crater. Cassandra starts talking to her, but I don't listen. The Breach is right above me now, and a smaller rift lies straight ahead.

 _They want me to close that._

I laugh a little under my breath, though it sounds more panicked than anything.

"'S'not gonna work…" I mutter to myself.

"Why not?" Solas asks, drawing me back to the present. I glance around and notice they've all stopped to listen.

I duck my head and fidget with the torn hem of my sweatshirt. "Not enough power."

Though I have my head bowed, I still notice when they all glance at one another. After a bit of what I assume is silent communication, Cassandra comes closer.

"We must try regardless," she insists. "Are you ready?"

"Not even a little bit," I chuckle, with a touch of hysteria.

Cassandra studies me for a moment. "I will not allow you to come to harm again," she promises quietly.

"I…" I glance away from her intense gaze. "Okay."

"This rift was the first, and it is the key," Solas informs us. "Seal it, and perhaps we seal the Breach."

"Then let's find a way down," Cassandra concludes. "And be careful."

I've only taken a few steps when a deep voice booms out.

"Now is the hour of our victory. Bring forth the sacrifice."

 _Ah, right. This part._

"What are we hearing?" Cassandra asks, a slight warble to her voice.

"At a guess," Solas responds, "the person who created the Breach."

I give a small, derisive snort at that. _And who enabled him, Solas?_

We keep walking, weaving amongst the jutting, glowing rocks. Corypheus' disembodied voice doesn't say anything else, but I notice a strange red light out of the corner of my eye. More rocks, but these ones pulse red.

"You know this stuff is red lyrium, Seeker," Varric says, sounding disturbed.

"I see it, Varric."

"But what's it _doing here_?"

"Magic could have drawn on lyrium beneath the temple," Solas proposes, "corrupted it."

"It's evil," Varric warns. "Whatever you do, don't touch it."

I put as much distance between myself and the red lyrium as I can when we pass because thanks, but no thanks. I _really_ don't want the Blight.

"Keep the sacrifice still."

 _Welcome back, Coryphyshit._

"Someone help me!" A woman's voice this time, the Divine's, echoes off the rocks.

"That is Divine Justinia's voice!" Cassandra gasps.

We come to a small drop. Well, comparatively small. A glance over the edge makes it seem like miles. The others hop down like it's nothing. I have to sit on the edge and slide off. Even then, I land awkwardly and pitch forward onto my hands and knees.

"Ow…" I whisper, wincing.

"You good?" Varric asks, helping me stand. I just nod in response, too embarrassed to talk.

We approach the rift and the mark flares up.

"Please, someone help me!" the Divine's voice calls again, muffled and strange.

"What's going on… here…?" a new voice asks. It's clearly a woman's, but it's also rich and… _familiar._

"Me…" The same voice whispers. Closer, though… clearer, as if the woman is standing right behind me.

I whirl around, eyes wide. But only Varric is there, and he gives me a questioning look. I just shake my head and turn back around. Clearly, I'm going crazy. As if this whole incident wasn't proof enough of that.

"Whose voice was that?" Cassandra asks, bewildered. "Most Holy called out to her, but…"

The rift crackles, throwing off bolts of magic. Suddenly, a ghostly image appears. A very tall, imposing figure with glowing eyes towers over the Divine. A dwarven woman with fiery red curls enters, bow drawn.

"What's going on… here…?" she asks again, seeming to hesitate.

"Run while you can!" Justinia calls. "Warn them!"

"We have an intruder," Corypheus drawls. "Slay the dwarf."

The rift gives off a burst of energy and the image dissipates.

"I do not understand," Cassandra growls. "Who was that woman? And where were _you_?" she accuses, glaring at me.

I don't respond, though, too caught up in my own thoughts. Everything in that vision was as I remember it from the game. That dwarf would've been the one to grab Solas' orb as it rolled across the room. According to what we just witnessed, that woman should be in my place. It should be _her_ hand sparking with the power of the mark.

 _So why the hell is it mine?!_

"Was this vision true? What are we seeing? Answer me!" Cassandra demands.

"I don't know, okay?" I snap, glaring at her.

"Echoes of what happened here," Solas answers her. "The Fade bleeds in this place." He turns towards us. "This rift is not sealed, but it is closed. Albeit temporarily. I believe that, with the mark, the rift can be opened and then sealed properly and safely. However, opening the rift will likely attract attention from the other side."

"That means demons," Cassandra raises her voice for the benefit of the soldiers. "Stand ready!" She then lowers her voice to talk to Solas and Varric. "We will form a ring around the prisoner."

The three of them do just that, facing outward with weapons at the ready. Cassandra nods at me and I take a trembling breath before reaching my left hand up towards the rift. The two connect and, a few moments later, the rift opens and something... something terrifyingly large steps through.

 _A pride demon_ , my mind supplies unhelpfully.

The demon roars, electricity sparking between its clawed hands. The nearest soldiers give a cry and charge forward, slashing at the creature's tree trunk legs.

Cassandra, Solas, and Varric don't leave my side, though. That's the only thing that's keeping me from running, to be honest.

The next few minutes are a blur of adrenaline. The soldiers keep slashing and shooting. More demons appear… ones like the kind that nearly killed me a few hours ago. Whenever one comes too close, though, my protectors strike it down before it can even reach me.

There's an agonized cry and I turn to see a soldier go flying, flung by a blow from the pride demon.

"We can't get through its barrier!" one of the other soldiers shouts.

My brain sputters to life at that.

"Get me closer to the rift!" I urge Cassandra, Varric, and Solas.

Solas seems to understand first and starts moving us. As soon as I'm close enough, I reach up toward the rift again and concentrate. The mark connects again and I let it do its thing. A pulse of magic bursts outward and the pride demon falls to its knees.

The soldiers take advantage, doing as much damage as possible before the demon can recover. Once again, more spill out of the rift and come at us. They don't make it very far.

While everyone else worries about the demons, I focus on the rift. If this is all real, if I'm not crazy or dreaming or dead, then I shouldn't have to wait for two waves of demons before I can close this thing. With that in mind, I concentrate. I don't know how much effect my willpower actually has over the mark, but I imagine closing the rift and will it to be true. I picture it closing, dissipating, and leaving no trace.

I'm weak. I've fainted numerous times, cowered behind rocks while others risked their lives. I can't even walk without tripping or slipping, nor climb a ladder without feeling like I'm about to pass out. I don't know how to fight, how to defend myself, and nearly died because of it. I've been nothing but a hindrance to these people, if they are in fact real.

But I have the mark. I know what it does and more or less how to use it. This… this I can do.

With a thunderous noise, the rift closes, a beam of green light shooting upwards towards the Breach. Suddenly, I feel utterly exhausted. It's as if every scrap of energy I possessed has been siphoned off through the palm of my hand. My legs give out from under me, but I'm out before I hit the ground.

* * *

I wake up in my bed.

 _My bed…_

That seems odd, for a moment, before I dismiss the thought. Why wouldn't I be in my bed?

I roll over and paw at the nightstand, searching for my phone with my eyes half open. I hear a _thunk_ as something hits the floor and I groan. I crack one eye open a bit more and retrieve the abused device in order to check the time. A little after ten in the morning. Saturday.

I flip back the covers and sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Barefoot, I pad towards the kitchen. There aren't any clean glasses left, so I grab a mug, pour some water in it, and chug it down.

"Thirsty?" an unfamiliar voice snarks.

I scream and drop my mug as I whirl around. I hear a crack as the mug hits the linoleum, but I'm too busy staring at the short redhead sitting on my couch.

"Who the fuck are you?" I screech. "Get out of my house!"

"Is that where I am?" she asks, unperturbed. "Hm."

"What's that supposed to mean? Get out!"

 _How did she even get in?_

"I can't," she replies calmly, leaning back and closing her eyes.

"Like hell you can't!" I storm towards the door and fling it open. "The door works perfectly fine. See? Now get your ass off my couch and…" I trail off as I finally look outside. Just past my doorstep, there's nothing but swirling green mists and floating rocks.

I scream again, slamming the door shut and locking it. Then I press myself against it, eyes wide.

"What the actual fuck?" I pant, glancing over at the redhead.

She just shrugs. "Don't look at me."

"How can you be so calm?" I ask.

She finally opens her eyes and sits up. "Well, I'm fairly certain I'm dead, so I don't see the point in caring. You got any food?"

"What?"

"I said-"

"I heard what you said! How can you care about food at a time like this?! I think the world is ending!" I gesture angrily towards the door as I step away, glaring at this weird intruder.

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic," she chides, opening the cupboard and pulling out a box. "Pop… tarts?" She shrugs, rips open a package, and starts gnawing on the pastry.

"Hey! Those are mine!" I go to snatch the food out of her hand, but she swats mine away.

"This is actually pretty good," she mumbles and crumbs spray everywhere.

I give up on the food and take a step back, crossing my arms. "Who the hell are you, anyway?" I demand.

"Malikah Cadash, at your service." She sweeps into an overdramatic bow, curls flopping forward.

 _Wait… Cadash?_

There's something unnervingly familiar about this woman, especially her last name.

"Have we… met?" I ask, brow furrowed.

"Maybe. You ever had any dealings with the Carta?"

"Carta…? Like in Dragon Age?" I snort derisively.

Malikah gives me a weird look. "Well, this is the Dragon Age, but I don't see what that's got to do with anything."

"Wait, what?" This lady isn't making any sense. "No, I'm talking about the video game."

"What's a… viddy-yo-game…?"

I return the weird look. _How does she not know what a video game is?_

After a moment, I sigh, ending the staring contest. "Hand me the poptarts," I grumble.

Just as she's passing the box to me, the room starts shaking. Before I can react, Malikah is flying at me, colliding with me… melting into me?

 _What-_

* * *

I wake up… again.

 _Ugh, I hate "waking up" in a dream. So disorienting._

 **Wait, that was a dream?**

My eyes fly open and I sit bolt upright. "Who said that?!"

I'm not in my room anymore. That's clear from the animal pelts. There's a spindly figure standing a few feet away. I think it might be female, but it's very androgynous. She gives a shriek and drops the box she was carrying.

"Oh, sorry," I apologize, starting to get out of bed to help.

 **I wouldn't, if I were you. Unless you want to flash the poor elf, then by all means.**

I've been watching the only other person in the room. Her mouth hasn't moved. So naturally I start screaming. There's really no other way to react.

The elf throws herself to the floor and starts crying, but I don't really have time to comfort her. I'm too busy freaking out over the voice in my head that isn't mine.

 **Shut up, will you?**

I grab my messy hair and shake my head vigorously. " _You_ shut up! Get out!"

"I'm so sorry, my lady! Please forgive me!" the elf gasps, turning and running from the room.

 **Now look what you've done. Are you through with your hysterics?**

"Get out of my head!" I screech.

 **I would if I could! By the Stone, you are ridiculous! Just shut up for a minute and listen to me!**

"I'm crazy," I mumble to myself. "I've gone completely bonkers. I'm probably in a strait jacket and on my way to an asylum right now."

I can almost feel the voice sigh. **Look, I have no idea what a strait jacket is, but you're not crazy.**

I giggle. "That's rich, coming from a voice in my head."

 **Trust me, I can see the irony too. Just listen, though.**

 _Fine._

 **I'm not just a voice, okay? We already met, in your… dream. Wow, that's weird to say. Never been in a dream before. Anyway, my name is Malikah. Remember me?**

"You're the woman from my dream?"

 **The one and only.**

"What the hell is happening?"

 **Fuck me if I know. The last thing I remember is picking up some stupid glowing ball and then I was waking up in your dream.**

"Glowing ball? You mean the orb?" An image of it flashes through my mind.

 **Yeah, that's it!**

"Oh God…" I mutter, curling in on myself. "You… you were supposed to be the Inquisitor, not me!"

 **The what?**

I remember a few scenes from the game, instead of explaining.

 **What was** ** _that_** **?**

"That's how it was supposed to be. Fuck! How is this even happening?!"

 **Are you saying I was supposed to be the one with the glowing hand? Mmm, yeah, no. I'm good, thanks.**

"Oh, and being in my head is better? What the _fuck_!" My breathing starts to speed up, my chest tightening.

 **Whoa, hey there. Deep breaths. We'll figure this out… hopefully.**

"Not helping!"

There's a knock at the door. "My lady, are you all right?"

I clutch the blankets to my chest, suddenly realizing how naked I am.

 **Answer him!**

"Y-yes," I call, praying he won't open the door.

"Just holler if you need anything," he says.

"Okay, thanks…"

That taken care of, I look around frantically for clothing.

 **There!**

There is a set of clothes folded on a nearby chair. Cautiously, I slip out of the bed and pad over to it. The clothing is simple. Some sort of leggings, a tunic, a jacket, some socks, and boots. I dress quickly, only getting hung up a few times on how to fasten the strange garments. Malikah helps.

 **Let's go find out what's going on.**

I head for the door.

 **Wait! Maybe… don't answer me out loud.**

"Yea-"

 **Eh!**

 _Yeah, good idea._

I pause at the door to take a deep breath. Then I turn the handle and crack it open just enough to peek out.

Someone gasps. "Look! The Herald is awake!"

 **Are they…?**

 _Yep._

The moment I step outside, all chatter ceases and all eyes turn to stare. I can feel my face start to burn at the attention.

Then they start bowing.

"That's her! That's the Herald of Andraste!"

"Herald! Thank you!"

Malikah starts cackling in my head. **This is a joke, right? Very funny, people!**

 _I'm afraid not…_

 **Oh, this is not good.**


	4. Chapter 4

Notes: So, uh, better late than never right? Yikes…

* * *

Chapter 4: Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall

I make my way to the Chantry, shoulders hunched and pretending like the crowds I have to pass through aren't actually whispering about me.

 **I don't understand. They** ** _hated_** **you yesterday. That was yesterday, wasn't it? How long were you out?**

 _I don't know. But it's because they think I'm the Herald of Andraste._

 **I heard that part, thanks. But** ** _why_** **?**

 _Well, in the game it was because they saw a woman when the Inquisitor stepped out of the Fade. But I didn't step out of the Fade. There was no woman._

 **Wait… woman? I think I saw a woman…**

 _Probably. But it was the Divine, not Andraste._

 **Why can't I remember?**

 _Your memories were taken, I think._

 **What?!**

I've arrived at the Chantry by then, so I don't bother responding. The large wooden door creaks when I push it open. The inside of the Chantry is dim, lit only by candles, and at first it seems like no one is here. Then I hear a muffled yelling coming from behind the door on the other side.

Suddenly, I'm nervous. What am I even supposed to say? Should I tell them anything or just feign ignorance? I crawled out of a weird metal thing, though. How can I possibly explain that away?

 **Just stay quiet. Don't speak unless it's absolutely necessary. Even then, keep it vague.**

 _… Thanks._

 **Yep.**

As soon as I open the door, Roderick turns and points an accusing finger at me. "Chain her. I want her prepared for travel to the capital for trial."

Cassandra glares. "Disregard that, and leave us." The soldiers on either side of the door file out, closing it behind them. I suddenly feel trapped.

 **It's not locked.**

The chancellor sneers. "You walk a dangerous line, Seeker."

"The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat," Cassandra retorts. "I will not ignore it."

"Someone was behind the explosion at the Conclave," Leliana adds, somewhat threateningly. "Someone Most Holy did not expect. Perhaps they died with the others… or have allies that yet live."

Roderick's eyes widen with indignation. " _I_ am a suspect?"

" _You_ ," Leliana emphasizes, "and many others."

"But not the prisoner?" he guesses.

"I heard the voices in the temple," Cassandra tells him. "She was not the one responsible."

Chancellor Roderick scoffs. "So her survival, that _thing_ on her hand – all a coincidence?"

"Providence," Cassandra replies. "The Maker sent her to us in our darkest hour." She looks at me with hope shining in her brown eyes.

 _Oh, Cassandra, no..._

 **Someone's going to be disappointed.**

 _Hush._

I can't stay silent at that. "I wasn't sent by the Maker."

"How can you know?" she asks rhetorically. "You were exactly what we needed when we needed it most."

I sigh quietly.

"The Breach remains," Leliana continues, speaking to me now, "and your mark is still our only hope of closing it."

"This is _not_ for you to decide," the chancellor interrupts.

Cassandra, face set, drops a heavy tome on the table in front of him. "You know what this is, Chancellor. A writ from the Divine, granting us the authority to act. As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn." She advances on the ruddy-faced man, jabbing a finger into his chest repeatedly. "We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order. With or without your approval."

Roderick glares at her a moment longer before leaving.

Leliana starts talking to me again. "This is the Divine's directive: rebuild the Inquisition of old, find those who will stand against the chaos. We aren't ready. We have no leader, no numbers, and now no Chantry support."

"But we have no choice," Cassandra adds. "We must act now." She looks at me. "With you at our side."

 **Remember, keep it vague.**

"You know I can't fight," I remind her.

"You can learn."

 _Do I really have a choice? It's stay here and help the Inquisition, or die alone in the woods. If any of this is real, that is._

 **You still doubt that?**

 _More like hope that it's not._

"Okay," I finally say, resigned.

"Good," Leliana nods. "Now that that is settled, we have much to do."

Cassandra looks at me. "There are things we must discuss, but they will have to wait. You are dismissed. Stay close; we will send for you again soon."

I tip my chin down and quickly leave the room. With the door solidly closed behind me, I let out a sigh of relief.

 **You got lucky.**

 _Making it through by the skin of my teeth. Story of my life, it seems._

 **Ew, what?**

 _Don't worry about it._

I ignore Malikah's disgruntled noises and make my way out of the church. _Chantry_ , I correct myself. But once outside, I find myself at a loss. What am I supposed to do now? Where am I supposed to go? I could go back to my room…

 _…but I don't want to be alone._

 **You're not really alone, though.**

 _Oh, thank you ever so much for that reminder._

Malikah's chuckle is more like the memory of a laugh than an actual sound. **So you do bite back!** She sounds a little too pleased.

I push her aside and go back to my original line of thought. I don't want to be alone, but who could I go to? I don't know anyone here and nobody knows me.

 **Except that isn't really true.**

She's right. I know a lot of people here. They just don't know me… not really. They see the Herald of Andraste, their savior and salvation, an object to be revered. They don't see Lena. There's only one person who has shown me any real amount of compassion.

 _Varric._

 **Varric Tethras?**

 _Yes._

 **Yep, we should go see him.**

 _Why do you sound so eager?_

 **No reason.** Then, in a mocking voice, **Don't worry about it.**

I outwardly roll my eyes, but head for the campfire I hope Varric will be standing by. The pressure in my chest releases a little when I see the dwarf standing there chatting with someone. I approach slowly, not wanting to interrupt. I also pretend not to notice how everyone else stares as I pass.

The woman talking to Varric notices me first, her eyes widening. "Good day, Herald," she hurries to greet me, giving a little bow. I cringe.

 _Oh my God please stop._

Varric turns, eyes darting between me and the woman. "It's been a pleasure chatting with you, Helane. Perhaps we could continue this some other time?" The woman nods, gives me a big smile, and walks away. I let out the breath I'd been holding. "Bit much, isn't it?" Varric asks, addressing me now.

"You can say that again…"

"Come sit with me?" He gestures toward a bench near the fire and I nod, following him. We sit side-by-side and I stretch my legs out toward the heat. "So, now that Cassandra's out of earshot… Are you holding up all right?"

I blink rapidly and stare down at my lap. "No," I admit quietly.

A beat of silence, then, "Anything I can do to help?"

I smile half-heartedly. "Thank you, Varric, but unless you can get this thing out of my hand and get me back home…" I pause, face scrunching in chagrin as I glance up at him worriedly. "I'm sorry, that was really rude."

Varric shakes his head and holds up his hands to stop me. "No, no, don't apologize. You've gone from being the most wanted criminal in Thedas to joining the armies of the faithful in the span of one day. That has to be more than a bit stressful."

"Yeah," I sigh, shoulders slumped.

Varric nudges me. "Hey, you hungry?" I nod. "Let's go see what they're serving."

He stands and waits for me to as well before leading us to the little tavern. It's not too crowded, but the few people inside stop what they're doing just to stare at me. I blush and look at my feet as they shuffle over the dirty floor.

Varric orders us some food and we sit at a table to wait.

"So, Lucky, where are you from?"

I freeze, wondering what I should say.

 **Just say Ferelden or something!**

I start to, but close my mouth again. I can't do it. I can't lie to Varric, not when he's been so kind to me. So I settle with, "Nowhere you'd know of."

 **Now he's just going to be even more curious.**

He chuckles. "I doubt that."

I clear my throat, feeling awkward. "I don't."

"That far away, huh?" He leans forward, eyes alight. "Past the Amaranthine Ocean?"

I avoid his gaze. "Uh… further."

Varric's eyebrows shoot upward and he opens his mouth, no doubt to ask more questions. I notice a woman coming over with a tray and sit up straighter. "Oh look!" I interrupt him. "Our food is here."

The dwarf studies me for a moment, but lets it go for now. I let myself relax only after we've started to eat.

"Tell me about yourself," Varric prompts.

 _Damn…_

"Uh…" I look down at the table. _I sound so stupid!_

"What's your family like?"

 _Broken,_ I think bitterly. Out loud, I say, "Small. It's just my mother, me, and my sister. My sister's married, so it's really just my mom and I."

Varric hums thoughtfully. "You don't sound too happy about that."

I shrug and push a potato around my plate. "We don't exactly get along too well."

"Ah," he says, as if something just clicked into place.

We lapse into silence for a bit as we eat. I suddenly realize Malikah has been strangely quiet. My heart flutters a little in panic.

 _Malikah?!_

 **I'm still here. Calm down.**

I hadn't even realized I was freaking out. I take a second to just breathe and let my heart rate slow. I don't really want to think about why I reacted the way I did.

 _You've been quiet._

 **Just admiring the view.** A sigh floats through my mind.

 _What…?_ I look around, confused. Then it hits me. There's only one thing she could really be talking about.

 _Varric?!_

 **Oh yes! What, you don't find him handsome?**

 _Well, I suppose he is, but… I don't know. How can you even be thinking about stuff like that right now?_

 **He's right there! I can't help myself. If I still had my body, I would just climb right on that.**

 _Oh my god!_ I blush bright red.

 **Oh, don't be a prude.**

"Did that roll just tell you a lewd joke?" Varric asks with a smile.

My eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You're blushing at your food," he explains, chuckling.

"Oh." I blush harder. "It's, uh… it's nothing."

Malikah starts cackling. **Well, aren't you precious?**

 _Shut up!_

 **Calm down, I'm just joking.**

It's all too much suddenly. The room is too crowded, my clothes are too tight, I can't breathe, and everyone is laughing at me. _I'm a joke._

 **Whoa, hey, just breathe okay?**

"You okay, Lucky?" Varric looks worried. He's leaning forward and extending a hand.

"No! Don't touch me!" I practically scream, standing up so fast my chair falls over. The room falls silent as everyone turns to stare. Their eyes burn holes in my skin. I can't stand it! I turn and run, bursting through the door and nearly knocking a few people over. I want to stop and say sorry… I can't. I don't stop running until I'm back in my cabin with the door tightly shut. Panting, I slide down the wall and curl into a ball.

 _Oh god oh god ohgod…_

 **Shhh, you're okay.** Malikah actually sounds worried now. She says something else, I think, but it's lost in the chaos of my own thoughts.

 _Why is this happening? Why me why me why me_

Why did I end up here? Is any of this even really happening? Why did the plane have to crash? Why did all those people have to die? I keep getting flashes of their faces, dead eyes staring accusingly at me. 'You shouldn't be alive,' they seem to say. I agree.

But I am alive and I'm in a god damn video game. I've got the Mark in my hand and the Inquisitor in my head and now everyone thinks _I'm_ the fucking _Herald of Andraste_ even though I'm just a nobody from a small town in Arizona!

 **Lena, listen to me. Breathe. It's going to be okay. We'll figure this out.** Malikah's voice comes through stronger than ever. I latch onto it like a lifeline. **Breathe. That's right… good.**

I take deep, even breaths and she continues to encourage me. Slowly, the fog in my head recedes a little, enough for me to realize I'm rocking back and forth. I stop, letting my fingers relax and let go of the hair they'd been gripping.

 **I'm sorry, Lena,** Malikah says, sounding regretful.

 _It's not your fault._

 **I was being a jerk. I'm sorry.**

 _Thank you._

 **Hey, do you want to hear about the time I charmed this one rich snob out of all his gold?**

 _Yeah. That sounds like a good story._

 **Oh, it is!**

I settle against the wall to listen.


End file.
